Before we changed
by BoldBlondeandBeautiful
Summary: "And as she stared at the boy -no, man- that she thought she knew all these years... she wondered what had changed." AU DRAMIONE PLZ R&R rated because I'm paranoid.
1. Prologue

**TROLOLOLOLOLOL IT'S AN AU. DON'T TELL ME IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. And enjoy xP**

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><p><em>She fled, hoping to avert disaster. She knew he hated her. She hated him too. But they had reached the breaking point. It wasn't the easy hate that morphed into love the next day. It wasn't the exasperated hate when your best friend spills a chocolate milkshake all over you. It was a vicious hate that made you cry when you remembered that you <strong>did <strong>really love this person... this monster. _

_Gone was the boy who she pushed into the mud when they were five, and who pulled her down with him and took the blame when their parents furiously demanded why they were so dirty. Gone was the boy who bumped her knee under the table when they attempted to do their homework together... but ended up just playing paper football or something. Gone was the boy she knew... Gone was the **real** Draco. This was a young man who didn't care for her opinions... who wouldn't care if she dropped off the face of the earth. _

_"Hermione!" The door is pounded behind her back. "Open up, damn it!" _

_She sobs. "No!" She would keep her pride, if he left her nothing else. _

_Another pound. "Just open the god damned door!" _

_A vicious anger takes hold of her. Fine, so he wanted to play this game? She could hurt him. Or at least, she could hurt whatever remnants of her friend remained. She twisted to her feet and yanked open the door, letting him see her tears. She tilted her chin up, making it perfectly clear that **she was better than him. **As he and his parents did to everyone else. But the difference was that she was right. And as she stared at the boy -no, **man-** that she thought she knew all these years... She wondered what had changed. "Happy, Draco? You have accomplished the impossible. You have finally managed to make Hermione Granger cry." _


	2. Scholarship

**Sorry the prologue was attrocious. Here's the first chapter, where things will hopefully begin to take shape.**

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><p>Hermione Jean Granger was understandably upset.<p>

_"Hermione, dear, you've known the boy most of your life! Why does it matter that you're going to the same school?" Well it does, mother, because I worked hard for this, and his father probably just flashed some cash and now BOOM I have no opportunity to get away from my childhood. _

She sat down on the front steps of her apartment complex. "Hermione?"

She groans and puts her head in her hands. She knows that voice all too well. It's the voice of her best friend... and her worst enemy. Her rival and partner. The subject of her very best dreams and her very worst nightmares. Alternately the one _causing _her to cry, and an open shoulder to cry _on_. Her tormentor and her protector. "Draco, I'm _not_ in the mood to talk, okay?" Today was one of the bad days, it would seem.

"Tough luck, Granger." He says with a laugh, plopping down next to her. He nudges her shoulder. "So what's wrong?"

She glares at him. "You. You're what's wrong."

A chuckle. "Care to elaborate?"

She stands, fists clenched. "I worked _so hard _to get a scholarship to that school, and now you're going, but your dad can just... Throw money at them! Am I going to be stuck studying at the new library named after you this year, Draco? Hm? Because that's what always happens, isn't it? No detentions, no suspension, you do whatever you want, and you get away with it! Your dad's rich, so you get away with it!" She whirls and tries to go back inside.

But a hand firmly on her arm stops her. "Hey, if you don't want me to go, I won't. And fyi, I worked for this too. I wouldn't let dad pay my way in this time." He says quietly. "But whatever. If you're gonna throw a fit, I won't go." And then his grip releases and he passes her, slipping through the door and leaving her a lot to think about.

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><p>Draco Malfoy knew he loved Hermione Granger. He knew he loved her... But that is not something you say to the girl you grew up with. Ever. It was a simple fact, though. <em>The sky is blue. The grass is green. I love Hermione. <em>Easy, simple, and very right. He had loved her the entire fifteen years he had known her, he was sure. His entire life. He was all of two weeks older than her, and his parents had hundreds of pictures of them at birthday trips they had taken together. Pictures of them shoving cake into each other's faces. The roller rink where they had both fallen on their faces and then laughed at each other in fifth grade.

Of course, Hermione was practically a pro now, as she was a pro at everything she liked.

And Draco was in the dust, as usual.

"Draco... I'm sorry." Hermione whispers behind him.

He shakes his head. _Sorry for scrambling my brain? No? Damn. _"Nothing to be sorry for." _Except being beautiful and amazing and unapproachable. _

She lays a hand on his arm gently. "I really am sorry... I'm just trying to escape." She comes closer and hugs him, making him smile slightly into her hair. "You're my best friend, you know that." She mumbles into his chest.

"I know." He responds faintly. "And that's why I'll go to school in California, and you can take your scholarship to the school in Washington." He sighs. "I'm okay with this. It'll be fine."

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><p><strong>REVIEWS MOTIVATE ME TO WRITE LONGER CHAPTERS PLEASE. <strong>


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